McCain & Palin starting to self destruct

I love this - John McCain is surely ruing the day that he ever selected Sara-cuda - she's been a disaster in just about every way. In recent days, there have been numerous reports that the Palin and McCain camps are increasingly acrimonious toward each other about how she's being used on the campaign trail. I've also read some reports that she's been striking out on her own in her stump speeches and straying off message vis-à-vis what the campaign wants her to say..

Hmm - self-destruct much? I'm certainly not, in Obama's own words, "counting chickens before they're hatched," but as of right now, it's looking pretty good for Obama. And I love being a spectator to the finger pointing that has already started. Unfortunately for the supporters of McCain and Palin, all of the finger pointing in the world won't change one thing - that McCain has sold his soul in hopes of capturing the presidency. Think I'm being unfair? Do a YouTube search and see for yourself - when I look back at footage of McCain during the 2000 Republican Primaries, I see and hear a guy I hardly recognize, and I don't mean physically. I laughed out loud when McCain defiantly challenged people to name one issue that he has switched positions on. And yes, he was serious.

Anyway, here's a transcript of the video above, and it's pretty damning about Palin's striking out on her own, and talking about her future before the election.

From CNN:

BLITZER: And this just coming into the "Situation Room," the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin now speaking out openly about her intentions in 2012 if, if she and John McCain were to lose this contest next Tuesday. In an interview with ABC News, Sarah Palin is now saying, she would be interested in remaining a serious national political figure, going ahead to 2012. She was asked what happens in 2012 if you lose on Tuesday, would you simply go back to Alaska? Elizabeth Vargas of ABC News asked her and Palin said this, and I will read it to you verbatim according to an ABC News transcript: "Absolutely not," Sarah Palin says. "I think that, if I were to give up and wave a white flag of surrender against some of the political shots that we've taken, that ... that would ... bring this whole ... I'm not doin' this for naught," and that is a direct quote from Sarah Palin. Clearly, leaving open the possibility that she would be interested in leading the Republican Party in 2012 if she and John McCain were to lose this presidential contest right now. Let's go to Dana Bash. She has been covering the McCain campaign reaction from the rather blunt statement from Sarah Palin that she would in fact be interested in leading the Republican Party going forward after Tuesday if they lose?

BASH: I just got off of the phone, Wolf, with a senior McCain adviser and I read this person the quote and I think it is fair to say that this person was speechless. There was a long pause and I just heard a "huh" on the other end of the phone. This is certainly not a surprise to anybody who has watched Sarah Palin that she is interested in potentially future national runs, and she is being urged to by a lot of people inside of the Republican Party if they do lose, but it is an "if" and people inside of the McCain campaign do not want any discussion that has an "if" in front of it six days before the election, they don't want any discussion at all, any kind of hypothetical talk about running for the next time around. So certainly, this is not at least initially being received well inside of the McCain campaign.

BLITZER: I am not surprised, not surprised at all. It is one of those "wow, she is talking about 2012 if we lose," that is not supposed to be something that you say. You are supposed to say, "well, I'm not looking ahead, I'm not looking ahead only to Tuesday," and those are the talking points she's supposed to be saying, but she is obviously blunt and she is looking ahead if something were to happen on Tuesday that she wouldn't be happy with.

That last point about how Palin should have responded is spot-on by Blitzer, and it's another illustration of how much of a political neophyte Palin is (lucky for Obama & his supporters). She's very naïve when it comes to how she should handle herself in a national campaign. Her manner, annoying accent and gaffes may play well in Alaska (and in many cases might be viewed as quaint), but her appeal has worn off with undecided and independent voters. And her lack of depth and knowledge on the most basic of issues, in my estimation, has been the most damning and damaging of all.

h/t to Crooks & Liars for the video & transcript